TIFF Day 9: Matthew Lillard, Fan Bingbing set for Friday red carpets

This weekend marks the ending of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), with only two days left to enjoy the festival’s screenings, special programming and celebrity encounters. 

Although the festival is already approaching the end of the line, there are still plenty of great red carpets, film screenings, and festival moments to enjoy. 

Red Carpets

The Road Not Taken

Location: VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Time: 4:45 p.m. 

Friday marks the world premiere of The Road Not Taken, the latest drama by acclaimed filmmaker Peter Ho-Sun Chan. The film brings an emotional discussion of the challenges of Alzheimer disease, and what remains important when everything seems like it’s disappearing. Talent attending the premiere include: 

• Zhou Xun
• Peter Ho-Sun Chan (director)

Carrie

Location: Royal Alexandra Theatre

Time: 7:15 p.m.

The highly-anticipated latest version of Stephen King’s popular novel Carrie is also launching today at the festival. The new series about the challenges of a girl in high school is having its world premiere at TIFF on Friday. Expected talent to attend include: 

• Summer H. Howell
• Samantha Sloyan
• Alison Thornton
• Amber Midthunder
• Matthew Lillard
• Mike Flanagan (director)

Diary of a Mad Old Man

Location: Roy Thomson Hall

Time: 8 p.m. 

Another world premiere happening on Friday is for Diary of a Mad Old Man. This film is also an adaptation of a novel by modern literature icon Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, which follows a widower who dives into a relationship with his caregiver and daughter-in-law. Talent coming to the premiere include: 

• Lily Franky
• Fan Bingbing
• Wayne Wang (director)

HALF 

Location: Royal Alexandra Theatre

Time: 10:45 p.m. 

The Midnight Madness red carpet of the day is the India horror HALF. The film follows two half-blooded vampires who embark in a war with hijackers on a desert highway. Attending the world premiere will be: 

• Ranjith Sajeev 
• Samjad (director)

Screenings

As the end of the festival approaches, it’s festival goers’ last chance to catch some of this year’s most anticipated screenings, including: 

• Misty Green at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 12:10 p.m.
• Tangles at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 12:15 p.m.
• Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre at 2:30 p.m.
• YAGA at TIFF Lightbox at 2:45 p.m.
• The Man I Love at TIFF Lightbox at 3 p.m.
• Being Heumann at TIFF Lightbox at 3 p.m. (free screening)
• Onwards and Sideways at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 3 p.m. 
• Up Against It at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 3:10 p.m. 
• Anchors Aweigh at TIFF Lightbox at 3:15 p.m.
• Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor at Roy Thomson Hall at 5:30 p.m.
• I Play Rocky at TIFF Lightbox at 5:45 p.m. 
• River at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 6:30 p.m. 
• The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 6:30 p.m.
• Prima Facie at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 6:45 p.m. 
• Carrie at Royal Alexandra Theatre at 8:30 p.m. 
• Closing Night at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 8:30 p.m.
• Ink at TIFF Lightbox at 9 p.m. 
• Tenzing at TIFF Lightbox at 9 p.m.
• Evil Genius at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 9:20 p.m. 
• Diary of a Mad Old Man at Roy Thomson Hall at 9:30 p.m.
• American Hostage at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 9:30 p.m.
• HALF at Royal Alexandra Theatre at 11:59 p.m.

Weather 

The end of TIFF also marks the end of summer, with fall temperatures now expected to hit next week. However, there is still time to enjoy a sunny day at the festival this weekend. 

On Friday, festival goers can expect a sunny day, with a high of 22ºC, and clear skies at night with a low of 12ºC.